By MANDEEP SINGH
Published: 13th October 2006
ALLEGATIONS that Bahrain’s labour reforms were doctored after being vetted by international watchdogs are to be investigated.
A draft of the government reforms was shown to the Geneva-based International Labour Organisation.
But trade unionists and other sources had since complained that key clauses were later removed, before the draft was put to parliament, ILO social dialogue department director Giuseppe Casale told the GDN yesterday.
“We have received reports that some ‘critical clauses’ have been amended or removed when the draft was presented to parliament,” he said as he headed a delegation to Bahrain.
By MANDEEP SINGH
Published: 13th October 2006
ALLEGATIONS that Bahrain’s labour reforms were doctored after being vetted by international watchdogs are to be investigated.
A draft of the government reforms was shown to the Geneva-based International Labour Organisation.
But trade unionists and other sources had since complained that key clauses were later removed, before the draft was put to parliament, ILO social dialogue department director Giuseppe Casale told the GDN yesterday.
“We have received reports that some ‘critical clauses’ have been amended or removed when the draft was presented to parliament,” he said as he headed a delegation to Bahrain.
“These allegations have not been substantiated, so we will wait till we see the final version after it has been passed by the parliament.”
Mr Casale said the ILO was not a global policeman and could not get involved in abuse cases, such as those reported recently in Bahrain, or debates over compensation after incidents such as the Gudaibiya labour camp blaze, in which 16 workers died.
“We have no jurisdiction in the internal matters of any nation, but we do have an advisory role to play,” he said.
Mr Casale is part of a four-member delegation which arrived in Bahrain on Tuesday to launch a project to prepare businessmen, unionists and the government for expected changes in the country’s labour laws.
They yesterday met General Federation of Bahrain Trade Unions (GFBTU) and Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry officials.
“The reforms are now being discussed and the government of Bahrain has acknowledged there is need for improvement,” said Mr Casale.
Bahrain’s labour laws and their enforcement were the best in the Gulf, but the country still had a lot to do to catch up internationally, he said.
He said in this part of the world there was virtually no involvement of employees in the affairs of companies and organisations.
“This creates a sort of ‘imbalance’ and ultimately leads to so called cases of worker and employee discrimination and abuse,” said Mr Casale.
“If only workers were properly represented through unions or otherwise, most of these problems would be solved.
“Workers’ committees have to be created and they have to be pro-active. It is they who have to push for better conditions and facilities.”
He said the GFBTU officials had told the ILO delegation that the next step would be to unionise government workers.
“There is also some movement towards getting migrant workers involved,” said Mr Casale.
Beirut-based ILO regional declaration specialist Khawla Mattar, a Bahraini, is also a part of the delegation.
“It is unfortunate that there are issues in Bahrain which are glaring, as far as the incidents involving labour are concerned,” she said.
“We are trying to get things moving and we will succeed.”
The other two members of the delegation are ILO regional declaration specialist Wael Issa and US Labour Department international programme manager James Rude.
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